When she stepped back, she said, “I was serious, if not about today.”
“You foresaw me riding in the rain?”
“In bad weather,” she admitted.
“It could come to that. If you and your family will agree, I may have to borrow a horse.”
“I’m glad you mentioned me.” The smile I loved appeared. “The mare is mine.”
“I do love propertied women.” I grinned.
“Just for that, you can sit next to Methyr . . . or the twins.”
“If you sit across from me . . .”
She didn’t carry out on the threat, thankfully, but I did end up between Aegina and Betara, both of whom were most interested in the portrait of Seliora. I really didn’t like discussing unfinished work, but I didn’t want to be rude.
“When will it be done?” asked Betara.
“Several months,” I replied.
“What do you think about it, Seliora?” asked Aegina.
“I haven’t looked at it yet,” Seliora replied. “I don’t like people looking at my designs until they’re done, and Rhenn deserves the same courtesy.”
My only serious question to Seliora’s mother was about the taudis. “Do you know anything about two taudischefs-Youdh and Jadhyl?”
“No one knows much about Youdh. They say that few have ever crossed him and lived. He’s been taudischef for close to ten years now. Jadhyl . . .” She frowned. “He’s an outlander, but Mama Diestra says he’s the most trustworthy of the taudischefs. He won’t tell us much, though, but he’s planning to be taudischef for a long time.”
“Why do you say that?”
“He goes out of his way not to make enemies, and those he can’t charm, and who continue to cause trouble for him . . . they vanish.” Betara smiled ironically.
“A very polite local despot.”
“Less of a despot than most, and he doesn’t let his men take liberties with the locals.”
“What about Youdh?”
“He’s more like the older taudischefs. He doesn’t take slights easily, and he doesn’t think much of women or those less fortunate.”
In the end, I did enjoy the meal, as much for Seliora’s presence as anything, but I left while most everyone was still at the table, although I didn’t see Grandmama Diestra anywhere.
The clouds outside were darkening when I hailed a hack, but because I’d caught the coach earlier than I’d calculated, I had the driver drop me almost directly outside Third District station. Then I hurried inside through a rain so fine, but so wind-driven, that the small droplets stung my face and neck like needles.
The antechamber was empty except for Sansolt, the patroller on the duty desk. I’d only passed a few words with him over the past weeks. Taciturn as he’d been, he’d seemed solid.
“Master Rhennthyl . . . you aren’t supposed to be accompanying someone today, are you? No one told me-”
I shook my head. “I have to meet someone near here, but I was thinking, What do you know about the taudischefs?”
Sansolt glanced toward the door, although no one had entered the station, then cocked his head to one side. “You hear a lot. Some of it might be true. Some might not. There’s four right now in the taudis-you’re talking about our taudis, right?”
I nodded.
“Horazt is the new one on the west end. Grausyn and Lykyt patrol that round. They haven’t had any trouble, but the equalifiers and the Temple types don’t like him, and that could be trouble before long. The chief before him disappeared just before the riots. The east end, there are two, Jadhyl and Deyalt, but Deyalt might as well be the subchief because he goes along with whatever Jadhyl wants. But you’re patrolling with Alsoran, aren’t you?”
“I am. Jadhyl talked to us last week. He said the toughs who attacked us weren’t his.”
Sansolt frowned. “Alsoran said that. Guess I believe it, but . . .”
“You think Youdh was trying to set up Jadhyl or Deyalt?”
“I wouldn’t put it past him. Don’t know as there’s anyone with a good word to say about him.”
“So why is he still taudischef?”
Sansolt laughed. “Anyone who crosses him ends up dead real quick.”
“Have you ever seen him?”
“No one’s ever seen him. I mean, no patroller ever has. Not that I ever heard.”
“Has the captain ever met any of the taudischefs? To get the plaques on the table, face up, so to speak?”
“When he was a lieutenant, he met with Worazt, the taudischef before Youdh. That’s what Melyor said, anyway. Didn’t do much good. The next week some toughs tried to take out a patrol on rounds. The captain hasn’t said anything about meeting any of them since.”
“Thank you. Everything I can learn helps.”
“Sir . . . some say you know Horazt.”
“I do, but not from working with the Civic Patrol. He brought his nephew to Imagisle on a day when I was on duty. The boy is an imager. He’s very young, but he has promise.”
I didn’t like the idea that someone was circulating word that I knew Horazt, because I’d told no one. The most obvious answer was that Youdh had gotten word to Harraf-or someone-at the station because of the time I’d openly walked through the taudis with Horazt.
“An imager . . . from the taudis?”
“Imagers can be born into any family. My father’s a wool factor, but I’ve known several imagers whose parents were High Holders.”
I could tell that surprised Sansolt, but he only nodded and said, “Hadn’t thought of that, but you say so, it must be.”
“Thank you again.” I smiled and turned, heading out of the station.
The wind and rain were stronger as I walked up Fuosta toward South Middle and then east to Dugalle. The Puryon Temple ahead seemed empty, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if people were watching.
A bell struck, the sound coming from an anomen I couldn’t see, announcing the first glass of the afternoon. Of course, Horazt was nowhere to be seen.
I kept moving, walking a ways east on South Middle, and then back, back and forth, for what seemed like glasses, but was probably closer to two quints, before a figure emerged out of the mistlike hard rain.
“Afternoon, Master Rhennthyl.”
“Good afternoon, Horazt.”
“You paid coin to get a message to me. Must be urgent.” He turned and began to walk westward, back toward the Midroad.
I took two quick steps to catch him, then matched his pace. “It might be. Youdh’s put out the word that you don’t like the equalifiers and the Temple priests.”
“So?”
“It doesn’t sound like Youdh’s any sort of friend of yours.”
“Taudischefs aren’t friends with other taudischefs.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Not much I can do about what he feels.”
I waited to say more until we passed an old man trudging eastward. He didn’t even look in our direction, just kept his head down against the fine rain.
“Do your men have something that identifies them as your taudis-men? A kind of belt buckle, a certain cloak, like the green cloaks that Jadhyl’s men wear?”
“You think I should tell you?”
“I’m not asking what it is. I’m thinking that each taudischef’s men carry or wear something like that. I’d like to know if you know what Youdh’s men use, or if Youdh sends messages with a special seal or sign.”
Horazt laughed harshly. “The only message he sends is a slashed throat, with a wide-bladed dagger through the voice box. That’s how he deals with squeals.”
“No tattoos for his men? No jackets of a special color?”
“His enforcers wear purple jackets. That’s only the top ones.”
“Can you get me-”
“You don’t think-”
“Not a jacket. Just a small piece of the material.” I held my fingers barely a digit apart. “Just a shred like that. I’ll pay a gold for it.” Once I had it, I could always image something just a bit larger.
A sly grin crossed his face. “Might be worth the risk at that. If I can get it, I’ll send it with Chelya when she goes to see Shault. You and me, we been seen too much together.”